Drone News Roundup: Drones Fly Into Tornadoes, Stunning New Cinematic Drone Reel, and More!

This week we’re covering researchers flying drones into tornadoes for science—and getting the footage back.

We’re also covering a beautiful new cinematic video from Denis Barbas, a drone-assisted rescue on an Oregon cliff, rare porpoise behavior captured by drone, and the MFE Field Trials in-person event for NDAA-compliant drones.

Now let’s get to those links!

Researchers Fly Drones Into Tornadoes to Collect Data

What if you could fly a drone into a tornado? Researchers with the OTUS Project are doing just that—and they’re making good progress. The goal is to collect data from inside the twister, capturing measurements like temperature, pressure, and wind speed to improve our understanding of these quick-forming, dangerous storms. And their early tests are showing a lot of promise. They’ve done several flights now, and their drones are able to get closer to tornadoes than traditional instruments, potentially helping improve forecasting models and severe weather warnings.

LEARN MORE

Denis Barbas Shares Epic New Cinematic Drone Reel

YouTuber Denis Barbas has released a new compilation of his best drone footage, capturing landscapes from around the world in a tightly edited reel. The drone video features a mix of sweeping aerials, dynamic camera moves, and carefully composed shots that highlight how modern drones can be used for high-end cinematic work. The footage was shot primarily on a DJI Mavic 3, with supporting footage shot on the Mini 5 Pro, Mavic 4 Pro, and Avata 2.

LEARN MORE

Drone Helps Rescuers Reach Teen Stranded on Oregon Cliff

A drone recently helped rescuers save a teen stranded on a steep cliff near God’s Thumb in Lincoln City, Oregon. The teen had been hiking with friends when he fell, and was clinging to the cliff face, waiting for help before he fell farther. Witnesses shared GPS coordinates, photos, and video from the scene, and Lincoln City Police also deployed the drone to provide overhead data while rescue teams planned their response. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter ultimately hoisted the teen to safety—that’s the footage shown above—while his friends near the cliff’s edge were directed back to a safe area.

LEARN MORE

Drone Captures Rare Porpoise Mating Behavior Off Shetland

Researchers recently used a drone to capture rare footage of porpoise mating behavior off the coast of the Shetland Islands. The aerial perspective allowed scientists to observe interactions that are difficult to see from boats, including coordinated movement and positioning during mating. That overhead view provides a clearer look at behavior that’s typically obscured at the surface, offering new insight into how these animals interact in the wild. The footage could help researchers better understand porpoise reproduction and social behavior, an area that remains fairly under-documented in porpoise research.

LEARN MORE

MFE to Host Field Trials of NDAA-Compliant Drones

Credit: MFE Inspection Solutions

MFE Inspection Solutions has announced MFE Field Trials, a new in-person event designed to let enterprise teams evaluate NDAA-compliant drones in real inspection scenarios. The event will bring together platforms from Skydio, Freefly, Teledyne FLIR, WISPR Systems, and RT Robotics, giving attendees a chance to test systems hands-on and compare capabilities in a controlled environment. As regulatory uncertainty is driving industrial operators away from foreign-made (i.e., Chinese) drones, this event will provide them with the chance to do side-by-side evaluations.

LEARN MORE

Make sure to sign up for our free weekly newsletter using the button below so you can get our weekly newsletter every Saturday, with this roundup and our other featured stories from the week.